Gas lamp construction



Aug. 15, 1933. .L o. cADlEux 1,922,524

GAS LAMP CONSTRUCTION Filed March-14, 19250 Patented ug. 15, 1933 K 1,922,524 lons LAMP CONSTRUCTION Joseph 0. Cadieux, Meriden, Conn., assignol" to Connecticut Telephone & Electric Corporation, Meriden, Conn., a Corporation of Dela-v Ware Application March 14, 1930. Serial No. 435,731

6 claimsl (c1. 173-328) t My invention re1atesto lamps employing a luminescent gas, such as neon, within transparent or translucent tubes and more particularly to that type used for display purposes.

Heretofore, lamps of this character have been more or less permanently located. This being due. to the fact that a very high voltage frequently varying sometimes from 2000 to 20,000 volts or more is required for their operation and that the transformer used to step-up this voltage` is usually located in a more orless remote place ,from the lamps, the same being connected to the usual standard electric lighting systems operating at 110 or 220 volts. It can be readily understood that great danger and expense is involved in wiring systems of this type.

Furthermore, in changing the various display indicia depicted by lamps of thisfcharacter heretofore used, it was necessary ,tchange many parts of the supporting structure' 'in conformity with the new indicia desired; "and oftentimes move the entire assembly tofafj'new location, all of which necessitated expensive rewiring and installation.

lOne of the principal objects of my invention provides a. structure having a lamp that. is readily interchangeable without the resultant dangerusually coincident therewith by having the contact elements isolated.

Another object provides a structure that is portable and capable of being connected to any near-by source of up transformer being located within the structure for this purpose.-

A further object provides a lamp structure that is easily disassembled for repairing 'or req placement of parts, the various parts being so correlated as to form units.

A still further object provides means for the segregation of the high tension side of the transformer by inclosing the same within a housing or inner casing, locatedA in a cabinet or base. Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claims and annexed drawing.

Referring to the drawing wherein:

Fig. l. is a vertical sectional view of my device, tiieamp being shown in front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation, the lamp unit being shown in end elevation with the associated parts in section.

.A cabinet base or casing 4 has mounted thereon a tube socket or base 5 adapted to receive and support a lamp tube 6. Within the cabinet is mounted a cup 8 formed preferably of insulatl current of low voltage, a step-A space for isolation of the terminal clips 19 and ing material and supported by a flange 9 within the base in a )manner hereinafter described.

Inside of this cup is mounted a transformer 10 of suitable construction which may be suplported by brackets 11 connected to the cup in a 60 suitable manner as for instance by means of screws 12. The current to the low tension side of. the transformer is supplied thereto by wires or conductors 13, which are connected to a source of current supply jfor instance through the mediumof a socket plug 14 secured in the base section.

A switch 15 may be associated therewith and may be of any desired type. The cup 8 is provided with an upper part 16, constituting a tube socket which is also formed preferably of insulating material and has a flange 1'7 which is secured to the ange 9. This cup and socket are secured to the under side of the cabinet by screws 18. Spring contact clips or. terminals 19 are secured in recesses 20 in the member 16 by means of tubular eyelets 2l which also serve to receive the high tension output leads 22 of the transformer. An insulating cover. cap or shield 23, for instance, of formica is secured to the upper part 16 of .the cup,for instance, by being frictionally engaged within a iiange 24 formed thereon, and is flush with the upper surface ofA the base 4 and serves to support the lamp base 5. This shield has two openings 25 for the prongs 26 of the lamp base.

The chambers or recesses 20 afford suitable yet access to these chambers 20 is prevented by the cap or cover 23 except through the small openings 25 provided, which are just large enough for the terminal prongs 26 of the lamp 5. It will be `understood that the prongs or clips may. be suitably shaped for interconnection and preferably by tongue and groove portions so as to snugly hold the parts together and prevent separation. Of course these terminals must have excellent electrical conducting characteristics so as to avoid heating under the high tension to which they are subjected.

The lamp base 5 is preferably formed of insulatingv material and hasl two grooves or chambers 27-2'7 and an intermediate wall 28.

Bus `bars 29 are secured in the grooves 27 for instance by inserts 30. The terminal prongs 26 project through the base section and form contact with the vbus bars 29 for instance by being riveted thereto.

Spring contact clips 31 are securedy to the outer ends of each of the bus bars 29 by means of rivets 32 and serve to receive, hold and form electrical connection with the lamp tube 6.

Coversv 33 preferably of insulating material having openings 34 at opposite ends thereof for'the tube ends serve to inclose the interior for protection against the high tension current and may be secured in any suitable manner.

The lamp 6 may be of any suitable character .comprising some form of tube having suitable electrodes 35 with terminals 36 for engagement with the contact clips 31. This tube will contain a suitable form of gas, such as neon under proper operating conditions.

A reector plate or shield 37 has its lower end embedded in the base 5 and is positioned in proximity to the lamp tube and serves` also to protect the same.

It is understood that various forms of the lamp indicative of Wide variety of colors, words. phrases, numbers, symbols and other indicia f may be formed thereby and that the tube may be readily changed in respect to the base. Other bases may be employed of various lengths and Widths to accommodate different sizes of the lamps, without the necessity of using more than one cabinet. The cabinet having Within it the ftransformers permits the device to be placed in any convenient place without the necessary i external high tension wiring usually required.

The same socket base can be used' for tubes or words of diierent lengths by simply locating the contact clip 31 at the proper points on the bus bars 29 to correspond with the spacing of the ends of the tube. f

Automatic turning on and off of the current in the low tension side of the transformer may be eiected by means of a suitable flasher (not base having grooves, bus bars secured therein, terminal prongs secured to the inner ends of said bars and projecting from said base, con-y tact sockets secured to said bars within said grooves, and insulating plates covering the bus bars in said grooves and having passages to permit the terminals of a gas tube to be inserted into said sockets.

2. A gas lamp connector comprising a base having two projecting terminal prongs near the center of the base, two bus bars having inner and outer ends in the base and having their inner ends secured to the inner ends of the prongs and a gas tube having its ends connected to the outer ends of the bus bars.

3. A gas lamp connector comprising a base having grooves in one face, bus bars anchored in said groove, a terminal prong riveted to one end of each bus bar and a. socket riveted to the opposite' end of each bus bar, to receive one end of a gas tube,

4. In a gas lamp connector, a socket for' the lamp comprising an elongated base portion, front and rear wall portions defining aligned elongated chambers, a bus-bar in each chamber, a terminal prong carried by the inner end of each bar and projecting through said base portion, a spring terminal clip fastened to each of said bars in said chambers and a perforated cover for said chambers having perforations to permit insertion of the'ends of a gas tube into said clips, all of said parts forming a unitary structure.

5. A gas lamp connector comprising an elongated, insulating base, bus-bars mounted in said base longitudinally thereof and in alignment with each other, a terminal prong secured to the 'outer ends, contact prongs riveted to the inner ends of the respective bus bars and projecting from the rear of the body, and tube-holding clips secured to the outer ends of the respective bars and housed in the body.

JOSEPH O. CADIEUX. 

